Understanding Video Games: the Essential Introduction

Egenfeldt-Nielson, Simon, And Smith, Jonas Heide, And Tosca, Susan Pajares

ISBN 10: 0415977215 / ISBN 13: 9780415977210

Published by Routledge, New York, NY, 2008

About this Item

Trade paperback (US). 293 p. Contains: Illustrations, black & white, Halftones, black & white, Line drawings, black & white, Tables, black & white. Audience: General/trade. Good. Cover has minimal shelf wear corners bent slightly. Pages clean and unmarked.

Seller Inventory # Alibris.0005919

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Understanding Video Games: the Essential Introduction
• Publisher: Routledge, New York, NY
• Publication Date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0415977215
• ISBN 13: 9780415977210
• Binding: Trade paperback

About this title

Synopsis

From Pong to PlayStation 3 and beyond, Understanding Video Games is the first general introduction to the exciting new field of video game studies. This textbook traces the history of video games, introduces the major theories used to analyze games such as ludology and narratology, reviews the economics of the game industry, examines the aesthetics of game design, surveys the broad range of game genres, explores player culture, and addresses the major debates surrounding the medium, from educational benefits to the effects of violence.

Throughout the book, the authors ask readers to consider larger questions about the medium:

• what defines a video game?
• who plays games?
• why do we play games?
• how do games affect the player?

Extensively illustrated, Understanding Video Games is an indispensable and comprehensive resource for those interested in the ways video games are reshaping entertainment and society. A Companion Website (www.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415977210) features student resources including discussion questions for each chapter, a glossary of key terms, a video game timeline, and links to other video game studies resources for further study.

About the Author

Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen, Jonas Heide Smith, and Susana Pajares Tosca are members of the Center for Computer Games Research at IT University of Copenhagen.